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The Making of an Officer: or, A Boy's Life Told in His Letters by the Late Captain Arthur Coke Burnell, 2nd Bn. Rifle Brigade.
1st Ed., viii+190pp., 220x184mm, portrait frontis., 8 plates. Winchester: Printed by Warren & Sons for Private Circulation.
1916
#65998
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Arthur Coke Burnell was born in 1894, educated at West Downs, Winchester & Sandhurst: commissioned in the Rifle Brigade 1913 & joined the 4th Battalion in India; to France in Dec. 1914 as a Platoon Commander in "D" Coy., in action at St Eloi & 2nd Ypres (Acting Adjutant during this battle), wounded in May & after a few months in England joined the 2nd Bn. (commanded by his brother in law, Frank Nugent) as MG Officer in October 1915. He became a Company Commander & was KiA on the evening of 18th March 1916, trying to bring in a man who had been wounded with a wiring party in No-Man's-Land. He was 21 & is buried in the Rue-du-Bois Military Cemetery, Fleurbaix. Burnell was a typical keen, regimentally minded, young regular officer, unreflective but conscientious & brave. He was proud to be appointed Adjutant during the Second Battle of Ypres, "it is really a very great thing for me to have done Adjutant on active service, something that is remembered later on, if there ever is an end to this show! This is about the greatest success I have had since joining, & I can't help feeling that my career as a soldier has been rather a success. I think the Army has a higher opinion of me than Winchester College ever formed." Appealing memorial with interesting letters from school and regiment (both in India and at the Front), a fine portrait in full dress, others in khaki including several taken in or near front line trenches. Orig. half white buckram, rifle green cloth boards, gilt, with badges of the RMC and Rifle Brigade to front board, VG with comp. slip from his father inserted. Rare. See illustrations on our website.
£275
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